The present invention relates to a kind of built-up inner floating ceiling for use in an oil storage tank, particularly one with instant fire extinguishing devices equipped in or on said ceiling.
In order to put out a fire occurring in an oil storage tank, usually some fire extinguishing devices are provided in the vicinity of said tank; normally, such devices are at a considerable distance from the tank. In case of a fire inside the tank, foamites are splashed onto the roof of said ceiling by means of high pressure pumping, and the fire will be put out only when said foamites have completely covered the roof. All existing inner floating roofs, such as steel roofs, aluminum roofs, as well as the "Built-up Inner Floating Ceiling for Use in An Oil Storage Tank", disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 07,703,013, which matured into U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,559 (Qiu et al.), all use the above-described fire extinguishing devices.
The main disadvantage of such devices is that it takes a substantially long period of time to complete the whole procedure, that is, to receive a fire alarm signal, to turn on the high pressure pump to splash enough foamites on to the roof, until said foamites have completely covered said roof. Any delay in the above steps may lead to a certain loss, or even a big disaster.